a girl named faith

yesterday i went to knitting class and met a girl named faith. she talked, and talked and didn't do much knitting. she was seven years old and when MA asked if she wanted hot cocoa or tea, she said, "i want hot cocoa." somewhere in our conversation i asked where she was from, she told me she was American and her dad was from Laos and her mom from Thailand. but then something happened, faith began asking me questions. 7 year olds usually answer questions, they don't ask them. when you meet a child that freely asks questions and isn't intimidated, you know she's someone special. she asked me where i was from, "my parents are from El Salvador, but i was born in San Francisco." faith said, "oh yeah, you look like you're from San Francisco"

"wait what" was my internal surprise response. i haven't heard that one before. after i'm asked the poignant question: "where are you from?" and i answer the robatic "born here, parent's from El Salvador", usually people respond, "oh really? you look Indian" or "oh you don't look like you're Salvadoran, i would have said Arabic or something." faith's originality, however, affirmed by San Francisco-ness, casually and with certainty. faith wore a shirt that read "life is beautiful" fitting for a girl with a bold and inquisitive spirit-- one who likes hot cocoa (she helped herself to two bags). there is something about girls named faith that bear a message. in love.